Gel grip controller

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a controller having a gel-gripping surface for engagement with a user&#39;s hand. The controller includes a housing having a plurality of operation members logistically positioned for manipulation by a user&#39;s hand. A handle portion adapted to be grasped by the hand of a user includes a deformable gel-grip extending over a substantial portion of the handle. The gel grip includes a flexible external exposed surface containing a semi-liquid flowable material within a cavity portion of the gel-grip. Such an arrangement provides a multi-directional deforming gripping surface with a comfortable feel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a video game controller and moreparticularly to a controller with an integrated gel-grip.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Video game controllers are also well in the art and conventionallyemploy a hard plastic housing to be grasped by the user. Suchconventional controllers are uncomfortable and after significant use cancause blistering, perspiration and otherwise cause discomfort and poorperformance for the user. U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,025 attempts to alleviatesome of the problems associated with conventional controller grips byproviding a simple covering material secured to the controller. (U.S.Pat. No. 6,120,025 is herein incorporated by reference.) Other attemptsto provide cooling have been to incorporate a fan and force air throughthe controller. While the prior art grips may provide slight relief,they do not provide the level of comfort and feel as that of the presentinvention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a controllerwith a gel-gripping surface for engagement with a user's hand thusovercoming the shortcomings of the prior art devices. The controllerincludes a housing having a plurality of operation members logisticallypositioned for manipulation by a user's hand. A handle portion adaptedto be grasped by a hand of a user includes a deformable gel-gripextending over a substantial portion of the handle. The gel gripincludes a flexible external exposed surface containing a semi-liquidflowable material within a cavity portion of the gel-grip. Such anarrangement provides a multi-directional deforming gripping surface witha comfortable feel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the controller with integrated gel gripaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isolated top view of the gel-grip.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the gel-grip taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the gel-grip according to analternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a controller according to an alternateembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an isolated sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a controller according to an alternateembodiment of the invention.

DESCRIOTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 depicts a video controller having a plurality of operationalmembers, such as a pair of stick controls 3, a D-pad 5, and a host ofother conventional operational buttons. Each of the members providingoperational control over respective characteristics of a given game. Twohandle portions 7 a, 7 b extend from a central housing portion and arecontoured to be grasped by a hand of a user. Conventionally, thecontroller is grasped simultaneously by two hands on each on acorresponding handle 7 a, 7 b. A deformable gel-grip 11 is secured tothe each handle covering a substantial portion of the handle to provideconform and superior feel to the user. The details of the gel-grip willbe explained in further detail below.

FIG. 2 depicts a gel-grip 11 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. A retaining flanged 13 made of a substantially rigid materialsuch as ABS plastic forms the outer boundary of the grip extending alongthe outer periphery and maintains the shape of the gel-grip. A flexiblematerial 11 extending across a substantial portion of the externalsurface of the grip contains a semi-liquid flowable material within aclosed cavity portion of the grip 11. Referring to FIG. 3, in oneembodiment the retaining flange 13 has a back surface 13 a substantiallyconforming to the external surface of the handle 7. A peripheral lipportion 13 b lip extends along the outer periphery of the gel-gripdefining its outer boundaries. The flexible material, such as fabric, issecured to the peripheral lip. The flowable semi-liquid material 13 c isdisposed between the back surface 13 a and the flexible material 11. Theretaining flange 13 is directly secured to the handle 11 with anadhesive or positive means as in an alternate embodiment which will bediscussed later.

The gel material 13 c may be contained directly between the flexiblematerial 11 and back surface 13 a of the flange. However, it ispreferred to use a bladder filled with the gel 13 c to ensurecontainment over the life of the grip and simplify the manufacture ofthe gel-grip. The gel 13 c material may be a silicone based gel. Forexample, the gel material may be formed of a silicone psuedogel materialas disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,877, or that disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,558,112, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. Thematerial 13 c needs to be flowable and semi-liquid while havingsufficient viscous properties to provide sufficient feel of thecontroller while simultaneously providing superior comfort. The gel gripprovides an exposed external gripping surface that s capable ofsimultaneously moving both orthoganally and translationally relative tohandle during deformation when grasped by a users hand. The Gel grip ofthe present invention provides a superior balance between comfort andfeel which here-to-for has not been recognized in the prior artcontrollers.

FIG. 4 represents an alternate embodiment according to the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the retaining flange 113 is formed of aband member 113 b extending along a substantial portion of the peripheryof the gel grip. The gel filled bladder 113 c and flexible material aresimply adhered to the retaining flange 113. The retaining flange 113 andback surface of the gel filled bladder 113 are together adhered to anexternal surface of the handle 7 a. The flexible material 111 may alsoextend over the back surface of the bladder (not shown) to define aclosed cavity with the flange and the back surface of the flexiblematerial and flange adhered to the handle 7 a.

FIG. 5 represents an alternate embodiment of the present invention.Rather than adhering the gel grip to the handle, a connecting memberengages a corresponding portion of the handle portion thereby providinga positive connection between the gel-grip and the handle 7. Theconnecting member includes a plurality of locking tabs 31 having adetent 33 formed proximate a terminal end. The locking tab 31 extendsfrom an underneath portion of said gel-grip and engages the handle 7 athrough a recess 41 thereby providing said positive connection betweenthe gel grip and handle 7 a. FIG. 6 depicts a detailed view of theconnection between the gel-grip and handle 7 a.

FIGS. 7-8 depict alternate embodiments with connections between thegel-grip and handle 7 a. In this embodiment the connecting memberincludes a closed lip 8 disposed on an underneath portion of theretaining flange 13 and engaging a corresponding groove 8 formed alongan opening in the handle 7 a thereby providing a snap-fit removableconnection between said gel-grip and the handle 7 a. The close lip 8replaces the locking tab of the previous embodiment extendingcontinuously around the underneath portion of the flange 13 as shown inFIG. 8. While the retaining flange is substantially rigid, such asformed of ABS plastic, it may be deformed slightly. To remove thegel-grip from the handle 7 a, the retaining flange 13 need simply bepinched between thumb and forefinger to deform the flange 13 to unseatthe lip from the groove. The flange 13 and lip 8 may simply be pushedinto seating with the groove 8 a in a snap-fit fashion. This arrangementprovides for the ability to interchange gel-grips of differing coloretc. and otherwise allow for replacement of the grip. A locking tab 51having a bore 53 may also be provided to engage a peg 61 disposed withinthe handle 7 a. To install the gel-grip, the flange 13 is simply pinchedto deform the locking tab inward to clear the peg 61, when the flange 13is released, the bore 53 slides over the peg 61 and the lip seats withinthe groove 8 and the gel grip secured to the handle 7 a.

While the present invention has been shown and described with referenceto specific embodiments forming the best mode, various changes in formand detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

1. A video game controller comprising: a housing having a plurality ofoperation members logistically positioned for manipulation by a usersaid hand held body having a gripping area; at least one handle portionadapted to be grasped by a hand of a user; and a deformable gel-gripextending over a substantial portion of said handle, said gel gripincluding a flexible external exposed surface containing saidsemi-liquid flowable material within a closed cavity portion of saidgel-grip thereby providing a multi-directional deformation of saidflexible external exposed surface.
 2. The controller according to claim1, wherein said flexible external exposed surface is capable ofsimultaneously moving both orthoganally and translationally relative tosaid handle.
 3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said gelgrip further includes a semi rigid retaining flange extending along atleast a portion of a periphery of said gel-grip, said rigid retainingflange being directly secured to said hand held body thereby securingsaid gel grip to said controller.
 4. The controller according to claim3, wherein said retaining flange is comprised of a band member extendingalong a substantial portion of said periphery of said gel grip, saidflexible material having an additional back surface and defining saidclosed cavity containing said semi-liquid flowable material member, saidflexible material being secured to said band member of said retainingflange and being substantially bound therein.
 5. The controlleraccording to claim 4, wherein said retaining flange is adhered to anexternal surface of said handle.
 6. The controller according to claim 4,wherein said back surface of said flexible material is adhered to anexternal surface of said handle.
 7. The controller according to claim 4,wherein said retaining flange includes a connecting member engaging acorresponding portion of said handle portion of said controller therebyproviding a positive connection between said gel-grip and said handle.8. The controller according to claim 8, wherein said connecting memberincludes at least one locking tab having a detent formed proximate aterminal end thereof, said locking tab extending from an underneathportion of said gel-grip and engaging a recess formed in said handlethereby providing said positive connection.
 9. The controller accordingto claim 3, wherein said retaining flange includes a back surfacesubstantially conforming to an external surface of said substantialportion of said handle and a peripheral lip, said flexible materialbeing secured to said peripheral lip and said flowable material beingdisposed between said back surface and said flexible material, saidretaining flange being.
 10. The controller according to claim 9, whereinsaid retaining flange is adhered to an external surface of said handle.11. The controller according to claim 9, wherein said retaining flangeincludes a connecting member engaging a corresponding portion of saidhandle portion of said controller thereby providing a positiveconnection between said gel-grip and said handle.
 13. The controlleraccording to claim 11, wherein said connecting member includes at leastone locking tab having a detent formed proximate a terminal end thereof,said locking tab extending from an underneath portion of said gel-gripand engaging a recess formed in said handle thereby providing saidpositive connection.
 14. The controller according to claim 3, whereinsaid retaining flange is formed of ABS plastic.
 15. The controlleraccording to claim 3, wherein said retaining flange is formed of ABSplastic.
 16. The controller according to claim 3, wherein said retainingflange is formed of ABS plastic.
 17. The controller according to claim7, wherein said connecting member includes a closed lip disposed on anunderneath portion of said retaining flange and engaging a correspondingannular recessed formed along an opening in said handle therebyproviding a snap-fit removable connection between said gel-grip and saidhandle.
 18. The controller according to claim 11, wherein saidconnecting member includes a closed lip disposed on an underneathportion of said retaining flange and engaging a corresponding grooveformed along an opening in said handle thereby providing a snap-fitremovable connection between said gel-grip and said handle. 19.According to claim 3, wherein said retaining flange includes aperipheral surface engaging a corresponding peripheral surface of anopening formed in said handle, said retaining flange further including alocking at least partially projecting into said handle and engaging alocking member therein to form a releasable connection between saidgel-grip and said handle.
 20. The controller according to claim 1,wherein said flexible external exposed surface of said gel-grip includesa fabric material.